Gorakhpur, February 15 – Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur on Sunday, marking the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri.
The Chief Minister, who also serves as the head priest (Mahant) of the Gorakhnath Temple, performed the Rudrabhishek of Lord Shiva, following traditional rituals and accompanied by Vedic mantras.
After the ceremony, CM Yogi posted a message on X, stating: "Today, on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri, I performed Rudrabhishek with proper rituals and prayed for the welfare of humanity, at the Gorakhnath Temple, illuminated by the consciousness of restraint, meditation, and Shivatva." He concluded with "Har Har Mahadev!"
Earlier in the day, he had extended greetings to people across the country on the festival.
"Hearty congratulations and best wishes to all devotees and residents of the state on the auspicious occasion of 'Mahashivratri', the festival dedicated to the worship of the Supreme God, Mahadev," he wrote.
"May the blessings of Baba Bholenath remain upon all, may peace fill every heart, strength fill every life, and auspiciousness flow on every path. Har Har Mahadev," the Chief Minister added in his post on X.
Mahashivaratri, considered one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar, is observed in reverence to Lord Shiva and commemorates the sacred union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
The festival is being celebrated across the country with deep devotion and spiritual enthusiasm, as lakhs of devotees began arriving at prominent Shiva temples from the early hours of Sunday.
Long queues of worshippers, special rituals, night-long prayers and holy dips in sacred rivers marked the occasion, while authorities made elaborate security and administrative arrangements to facilitate smooth darshan and effective crowd management at major pilgrimage centres.